The Maryland Amphibian and Reptile Atlas: A Volunteer-Based Distributional Survey
Declines of amphibian and reptile populations are well documented. Yet a lack of understanding of their distribution may hinder conservation planning for these species. The Maryland Amphibian and Reptile Atlas project (MARA) was launched in 2010. This five-year, citizen science project will document...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2012-01-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Zoology |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/348653 |
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| author | Heather R. Cunningham Charles A. Davis Christopher W. Swarth Glenn D. Therres |
| author_facet | Heather R. Cunningham Charles A. Davis Christopher W. Swarth Glenn D. Therres |
| author_sort | Heather R. Cunningham |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Declines of amphibian and reptile populations are well documented. Yet a lack of understanding of their distribution may hinder conservation planning for these species. The Maryland Amphibian and Reptile Atlas project (MARA) was launched in 2010. This five-year, citizen science project will document the distribution of the 93 amphibian and reptile species in Maryland. During the 2010 and 2011 field seasons, 488 registered MARA volunteers collected 13,919 occurrence records that document 85 of Maryland's amphibian and reptile species, including 19 frog, 20 salamander, five lizard, 25 snake, and 16 turtle species. Thirteen of these species are of conservation concern in Maryland. The MARA will establish a baseline by which future changes in the distribution of populations of native herpetofauna can be assessed as well as provide information for immediate management actions for rare and threatened species. As a citizen science project it has the added benefit of educating citizens about native amphibian and reptile diversity and its ecological benefits—an important step in creating an informed society that actively participates in the long-term conservation of Maryland's nature heritage. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-231bf6103de84059bff69b12af67c88f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1687-8477 1687-8485 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2012-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Zoology |
| spelling | doaj-art-231bf6103de84059bff69b12af67c88f2025-02-03T06:01:09ZengWileyInternational Journal of Zoology1687-84771687-84852012-01-01201210.1155/2012/348653348653The Maryland Amphibian and Reptile Atlas: A Volunteer-Based Distributional SurveyHeather R. Cunningham0Charles A. Davis1Christopher W. Swarth2Glenn D. Therres3The Natural History Society of Maryland, P.O. Box 18750, Baltimore, MD 21206, USAThe Natural History Society of Maryland, P.O. Box 18750, Baltimore, MD 21206, USAJug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary, 1361 Wrighton Road, Lothian, MD 20711, USAWildlife and Heritage Service, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, 580 Taylor Avenue, Annapolis, MD 21401, USADeclines of amphibian and reptile populations are well documented. Yet a lack of understanding of their distribution may hinder conservation planning for these species. The Maryland Amphibian and Reptile Atlas project (MARA) was launched in 2010. This five-year, citizen science project will document the distribution of the 93 amphibian and reptile species in Maryland. During the 2010 and 2011 field seasons, 488 registered MARA volunteers collected 13,919 occurrence records that document 85 of Maryland's amphibian and reptile species, including 19 frog, 20 salamander, five lizard, 25 snake, and 16 turtle species. Thirteen of these species are of conservation concern in Maryland. The MARA will establish a baseline by which future changes in the distribution of populations of native herpetofauna can be assessed as well as provide information for immediate management actions for rare and threatened species. As a citizen science project it has the added benefit of educating citizens about native amphibian and reptile diversity and its ecological benefits—an important step in creating an informed society that actively participates in the long-term conservation of Maryland's nature heritage.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/348653 |
| spellingShingle | Heather R. Cunningham Charles A. Davis Christopher W. Swarth Glenn D. Therres The Maryland Amphibian and Reptile Atlas: A Volunteer-Based Distributional Survey International Journal of Zoology |
| title | The Maryland Amphibian and Reptile Atlas: A Volunteer-Based Distributional Survey |
| title_full | The Maryland Amphibian and Reptile Atlas: A Volunteer-Based Distributional Survey |
| title_fullStr | The Maryland Amphibian and Reptile Atlas: A Volunteer-Based Distributional Survey |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Maryland Amphibian and Reptile Atlas: A Volunteer-Based Distributional Survey |
| title_short | The Maryland Amphibian and Reptile Atlas: A Volunteer-Based Distributional Survey |
| title_sort | maryland amphibian and reptile atlas a volunteer based distributional survey |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/348653 |
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